2020 Player Reviews: #18 Jake Melksham

It was a season of highs and lows from Melksham who led the team on one occasion in the absence of Max Gawn and Jack Viney. His form was hot and cold during the season with his lack of tackling pressure earning him some criticism.

Date of Birth: 29 August, 1991

Height: 186cm

Weight: 83kg

Games MFC 2020: 17

Career Total: 185

Goals MFC 2020: 15

Career Total: 140

Votes 2020 Keith 'Bluey' Truscott Memorial Trophy: 119

S*%T ordinary 2020 

Coaches pet should have been dropped numerous times 

looks like he is past his best

[censored] house. 

Not Jakes best year, I am hoping he was carrying a niggle as he lacked his usual burst of power and strength, I hope that he reaches his 200th game but that will depend on improvement to his form.

atrocious output

i firmly believe that he stayed in the side only for 'leadership' for the f50 crew - no one else of our core 5 (weed, lj, pickett, spargo, avb, melksham) had anything like his experience

needs a big 2021

Now I can sort of see why Essendon supporters couldn't stand him. 

Has been poor since busting his ankle against GC last year, but has had some great moments at the MFC since crossing over.

Surprisingly didn't kick a goal in his last 5 games of the year.

 

 

Won't tackle, won't contest overhead, doesn't pressure....what does he bring other than getting cheapies out the back? 

5 minutes ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Won't tackle, won't contest overhead, doesn't pressure....what does he bring other than getting cheapies out the back? 

The Club needs to set him some seious goals for 2021. Like kicking goals.  I would not give him games based on leadership because I just dont see it. He is at a career stage where it could just be a paycheck. 

Ol Skip was awful this year.

Him leading out the team was a lowlight for me in 2020

Has two more years on his contract.

Looking like one too many.

Out of my best 22. Very poor form. Very poor discipline. Not sure where the leadership was?

Represents everything that is wrong with this side under Goodwin. A highly talented player who only plays when it suits him. Lacks discipline, won't defend or tackle and goes missing for weeks on end.

He should have been dropped on multiple occasions, and the fact that he wasn't sends an awful message to his teammates. Making him captain made a mockery of the role.

A four year deal was highly excessive for a player who needs to be motivated every step of the way. If there was any interest, I would trade him for a packet of chips in a heartbeat.

Needs one of these 

Melksham is an interesting one for mine.  Without doubt his 2020 season was terribly poor.  But I look back at 2018, and I think it was the 2nd last game vs Eagles, where he played a shutdown role on McGovern, and due to the job he did, took us a long way to winning that game.  He then backed it up a couple of weeks later playing a similar role on Stewart in the first final, and made won the battle again.  Even earlier in his career with us he was dropped, and was made to play somewhat of a midfield tagging role at Casey, which he did well and played himself back in to form.

In 2020, it looked like he was just given freedom to do what he wanted, and quite frankly, I don't think he's smart enough to do that.

My suggestion for 2021 and Jake would be to give him a job each week, keep it basic, and we will see him make a far greater contribution.  That said, he might find that he's competing with Harmes for that role next year.

Edited November 11, 20205 yr by The Chazz

Just now, The Chazz said:

Melksham is an interesting one for mine.  Without doubt his 2020 season was terribly poor.  But I look back at 2018, and I think it was the 2nd last game vs Eagles, where he played a shutdown role on McGovern, and due to the job he did, took us a long way to winning that game.  He then backed it up a couple of weeks later playing a similar role on Stewart in the first final, and made won the battle again.  Even earlier in his career with us he was dropped, and was made to play somewhat of a midfield tagging role at Casey, which he did well and played himself back in to form.

In 2020, it looked like he was just given freedom to do what he wanted, and quite frankly, I don't think he's smart enough to do that.

My suggestion for 2021 and Jake would be to give him a job each week, keep it basic, and we will see him make a far greater contribution.  That said, he might find that he's competing with Harmes for that role next year.

Tend to agree that he can play a role, but I think he believes he is above that.

He seems to always be trying to pull off the impossible.

 

\I hope we are strong enough that he doesn't have a permanent spot for 2021, it was bewildering that he played every game

53 minutes ago, BW511 said:

Tend to agree that he can play a role, but I think he believes he is above that.

He seems to always be trying to pull off the impossible.

 

\I hope we are strong enough that he doesn't have a permanent spot for 2021, it was bewildering that he played every game

It should be a case of Melksham vs Jones vs AvB for that one spot on the HFF, so with that, I'd have Melksham first picked as he offers more.  If Harmes is moved up the ground in 2021, then I can possibly see the four of them fighting for that same spot, and would have Harmes well ahead in terms of reliability.

However, if Melksham needs to swallow his pride a bit and play specific roles (as mentioned in my initial post), then he's a very solid contributor in our forward line.

I'm also way guilty of saying this, back next year's line up will be quite interesting.

I  rate Jake even if it was a bizarre   year  in 2020.  Looked disinterested at times however l will reserve my judgement  for until after round 5. Needs to play a role in the forward line where he would be suited now that Ben Brown is with us.

Will be looking for improvement from Jake with interest.

9 hours ago, nosoupforme said:

I  rate Jake even if it was a bizarre   year  in 2020.  Looked disinterested at times however l will reserve my judgement  for until after round 5. Needs to play a role in the forward line where he would be suited now that Ben Brown is with us.

Will be looking for improvement from Jake with interest.

 I think he needs to be fighting for a place from round one onwards. If he has failed after 5 rounds as a forward our season is likely in strife. 

Much like Hibberd in 2019,  he had a poor season

Hibberd bounced back and I think Melksham will too.

Edited November 12, 20205 yr by Pickett2Jackson

2 hours ago, Half forward flank said:

 I think he needs to be fighting for a place from round one onwards. If he has failed after 5 rounds as a forward our season is likely in strife. 

Yes and good point.  However he just needs to play his role and will be more than valuable he has the smarts.

Strong mark for his size and kicks with both feet with precision. He is 29  has a good couple of years in him  and is a team player.

IMO. I am willing to stick by him as 2020 was a bizarre year and many didn't handle it well.

Edited November 12, 20205 yr by nosoupforme

Waste in the senior side.

8 hours ago, nosoupforme said:

Yes and good point.  However he just needs to play his role and will be more than valuable he has the smarts.

Strong mark for his size and kicks with both feet with precision. He is 29  has a good couple of years in him  and is a team player.

IMO. I am willing to stick by him as 2020 was a bizarre year and many didn't handle it well.

Yeah, needs some strong goals set for 2021. With his skill and experience he should be really firing and a tough matchup.

A passenger. No accountability. No longer best 22 and should not start round 1 next year.